The Journey Of A Ragpicker Who Became A Nurse Fighting Against Abject Poverty

Bhanu Sheikh Safi, a woman who started her life as a ragpicker, is now a nurse in a Public Health Centre. She lost her father when she was three years old and has now set an example of sheer determination and perseverance by becoming a nurse. She started working as a ragpicker from the age of three.

A resident of Ravidas Nagar, Banu Sheikh Safi lost her father when she was only three. After that, she along with her mother and younger 1.5-year-old sister Kshama started rag picking on the streets of Yavatmal, Maharashtra. It was the only way for them to earn their livelihood.

Both the sisters would carry their gunny bags on their shoulders and walk in the city’s street collecting rags from gutters. They would then sort out the rags and other waste material and sell it to scrap merchants.

Despite hard times and abject poverty, both the sisters did not compromise on their education and continued their studies. After completing class XII, they joined the Auxiliary Nursing and MidWifery (ANM) course in the Government Medical College, Yavatmal. After finishing their course, Banu now works as a nurse in a public health centre while her sister prefers to stay with her ailing mother.

Shabbir Khan, a tailor from Rui (Wai) Village, was impressed by Banu’s determination to face all odds in life and decided to marry her. The couple entered the wedlock on October 2nd in a ceremony at the hospital itself as reported by The Times of India.

Bhanu Sheikh and her sister are an inspiration to everyone. She is an epitome of hard work and sheer determination. It is difficult to cross the hurdles of life with such positivity and Bhanu Sheikh proves that nothing can ever come up in your way if you are determined to achieve what you dream of.

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This Mother’s Day, Let Us Make A Real Difference In Our Mother’s Life

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln

Mothers play a crucial role in our lives. Since we were little, they held our hands, acting as our guide into the world. They took care of all our needs – from teaching us how to hold a spoon, cooking delicious meals for us, dropping us to school and sitting with us while we struggled with our math homework – mothers have been there through thick and thin.

On the special occasion of Mother’s Day, Friends Adult Diapers has a beautiful message for each of us – treat your mother the way she has treated you all her life.

It was our mothers who stayed up all night taking care of us when we fell sick; it was her who help us with our homework. This Mother’s Day, remember to take care and support your mother the way she took care of you all these years.

The minds and bodies of our ageing parents dwindle as they grow even older, and somewhere in the incoherence of understanding their thoughts, children lose patience. They spend less and less time with their parents and hire others to look after them. A study by HelpAge India gives accounts of the elderly, most of whom testify to verbal abuse, neglect and disrespect by their children. Old people rely on their children for both emotional and financial support but, often times are not given the needed care.

There is little difference in how we were as toddlers and how parents are as senior citizens. They couldn’t understand the gibber we uttered then, yet taught us different languages. We were financially dependent on them till at least 18 years of age yet, they never said no to giving us pocket money. Why cannot we echo the same patience our parents showed for so many years?

Our parents have an unconditional love for us. They made sure all our needs are cared for and we never feel alone. When we grow up and our parents enter old age, they require the same care and affection. They would be delighted if we spent time with them after classes or work, make tea or cook for them and also help them with household chores when they have too many things at hand.

It is our responsibility to stand with our parents when they are weak; it is our responsibility to cook for them when they are too tired, and it is our responsibility to take care of them when they fall sick.

Mother’s Day is a celebration in honour of motherhood, a tribute to maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society. Let us make a real difference by showing how much we truly care for our mothers.

Friends Adult Diapers has taken a wonderful initiative in this regard. The most precious gift for a mother is her child. So why not take this as an opportunity to shower her with the same love? After all, she deserves it for being with you through every obstacle and every hardship that you faced.